The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-10-12
NO. I.
TRIPLE MURDER.
Tragedy Near Madison, Ga.--A Negro Man
Kills Three Members of His Family.

Tragedy Near Madison, Ga.--A Negro Man
Kills Three Members of His Family.
a special from Madison, Ca, to the
Atlanta Constitution says:
The people Of Morgan county are
aroused by the news OF terrible family
tragedy which took place some time be-
tween Saturday night and Sunday morn
ing. About o'clock on Sunday morn
ing the clatter of horses feet were heard
by Marshal Beardon, the rider exclain-
irS in great excitement as he rode in:
81 want doctor! I want the sheriff.
Old mar Dow Locket is dead Aunt
Lucy and Mollie have their throats cut
and are dying"
The rider was negro, named Bill,
who worked on the plantation Of MIR.
Anthony Fannin, three miles from
town. Upon tie same plantation lived
Dow Locket, venerable old negro, and
his wife Lucy. They had but one child
with them, their daughter MolGe, Sew
eral years ago she accepted the love of
Alexander Morris, hand working upon
an adjoining plantation. For while
al went well, until Jealousy entered the
heart of Morris, and after that there was
but little peace. He whipped his wife
frequently, and abused her so that she
was afraid of her life. Early last week
he went home one night and renewed his
cruel treatment. He beat her until she
fell exhausted in faint. Some time
during the night her consciousness re-
turned, when she found her husband
sleeping soundly beside her. Stealthily
she arose, and, slipping out Of the house,
ran in desperation to the home Of her
parents, where she obtained refuge.
s'About an hour ago, - said the rider,
'sI heard terrible screams, which were
preceded by gunshot. Running out I
saw man at Locket's front door, pull
ing a woman out, kicking her, and cut
ting wildly at her with a knife. The
neighbors began to gather, when the
man ran of, and by the time the nature
Of his work was known he had disap-
peared entirely. The woman in the
yard was Mollie, the wife of Aleck
Morris. Her throat was cut clean across.
The people went II and found that
Lochett vas dead, while his wife was
almost dead, with her throat cut clean
across, just like her daughters outside.
Then jumped on my horse and rode
into town after doctor.
\ party was at once organized, con-
sisting of the coroner, sherE and several
others, who reached the scene of the
tragedy at daylight. Hundreds Of e1-
cited negroes had gathered at the place,
an,onn whom the excitement was in
tense. All agreed that they would lynch
the murderer if they could get him.
The most tiendish forms of torture we're
proposed for Morris. The wounded
wife said that her husband came to the
house, as he claimed, to effect q recon
Citation, and wanted his wife to go back
With him. This she refused to do. He
then said ne would stay all night. When
bedtime came Locket went to bed,
sleeping on pallet on the floor, while
his wife, Lucy, got into the bed, IN the
corner OF the room, and Mollie got on q
bed in the opposite side. What follow
ed can best be told in her own words, as
told your correspondent: -
:'Dad went to sleep about 10 o'clock,
and was soon snoozlng. Nam talked
awhile, and she, too, fell asleep, and left 5
Aleck sitting in the door. He wanted
me to go back with him, an sorter
promised to go. I was 'fraid Of him,
an then wanted to get some money OF
mine be had, and l just talked kinder
good to him. By and by fell asleep.
When walked up locked over to see
nam stopping over dads pallet trying
to put out the fire. His cover was
ablaZe and the room was full Of smoke.
Just then I saw man spring on nam
and throw her to the floor. She sorter
choked, and 1 jumped out OF bed. It
was Aleck. He left nam and sprang
upon me, dragging me out the door to
the ground. | saw knife in his hand.
He struck at my throat, but Warded it
off; the next lick and he cut me again
and again. felt the keen edge Of his
knife. Then ne jumped and run. Aeck
was was not drunk, and l don't know
why he wanted to Kill us. Did not
know dad was killed until just before
you came. The shot must have walked
me"
In the room Dow Locket lay on his
side with his eyes closed in sleep. He
evidently died without struggle, and
never knew what killed him. 4 double
barrel gun lay on the floor, with its
muzzle not six inches from his head. 1t
was his own gun, and the assassin had to
step over his sleeping form to get 1t
from the rack.
Sheriff Hillsman at once sent for Toon
Powell's dogs. The animals took up
the scent without trouble, running ID
the direction OF Newton county. When
last heard from they were half way be-
tween Madison and Atlanta, while the
pursuing party OF whites and blacks was
being increased as it went along by peo-
pie anxious to join in the lynching of
the triple murderer.